Directed by Eric Bishop

by Larry Kramer

Set between 1981 and 1984, The Normal Heart is a searing drama about public and private indifference to the AIDS epidemic and one man’s lonely fight to awaken the world to the crisis. Larry Kramer’s play follows Ned Weeks, a gay activist enraged at the unresponsiveness of public officials and the gay community. While trying to save the world from itself, he confronts the personal toll of AIDS.

The Normal Heart keeps this true story from getting lost in history, successfully reminding a new generation of how “gay cancer” changed everything, and the struggle that ensued.

“Nearly 30 years later, this play proves a sobering reminder of a crisis that happened not too long ago—and continues to this day.”—The Huffington Post

Contains some course language and adult situations that may not be suitable for children and younger teenagers.

Minors 15 and under are not recommended. Parents are urged to learn more about this play before bringing their young teenagers with them. Children under 12 will not be admitted.

April 30, May 1, 2 • 7:30 p.m.
May 2, 3 • 2 p.m.

General Admission, $15; Seniors/Staff, $12; Students, $10

2013: MiraCosta student wins Costume Design national award and is invited to the Kennedy Center

A MiraCosta College theatre student has captured an award as top costume designer in a region that includes much of the Western United States. Now she is headed to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as a national finalist.

Hannah Dohrer is an acting student who served as a costume designer for the first time when the MiraCosta College Theatre Department produced `Oedipus the King’ last year. Her work earned the prestigious Costume Design Award at the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Feb. 17 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles.

“I was extremely shocked,” said Dohrer, 19. “It is an incredible honor.”

Dohrer won top honors in a region including Central and Southern California, along with Arizona, Utah, Hawaii, and Southern Nevada.

Dohrer has been acting since she appeared in a production of Treasure Island at Oak Crest Middle School in Encinitas when she was 11. Upon graduating from San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas, Dohrer enrolled at MiraCosta College and took part in several Theatre Department productions. Last year, she was asked to help out with the costume design for a production of Henry IV.

“I kind of became the person that everyone went to for help in building their costume,” she said. “I think they saw my potential, and they offered to have me costume `Oedipus.’”

Dohrer had never previously sewn an outfit together, but she soon went to work and met with the director to “come up with the kind of vision you want to create through the costumes.”

She had plenty of help along the way from Alina Bokovikova, a costume designer at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and technical director Andrew Layton.

“It is quite unusual and an honor to receive such an award for your first production,” Bokovikova said. “But, for her it was to be expected, she worked to her restrictions, and made the most out of it. She knew what she had to do, and worked with the manager perfectly. Since she is new, she has her own style that has not Costume Award 'Oedipus Rex': Hannah Dohrerbeen influenced deeply by others. She thinks outside of the box, sometimes not even knowing this box exists. And I wish for her to keep this unique creative nature of hers as long as possible.”

Dohrer said about 90 percent of the 30 or so costumes used in the play were made from scratch. “You pull out a basic piece and build over it,” she said. “You just have to take a risk and hope that it comes together.”

Said Bokovikova: “Costume design for this show was a combination of period silhouette
and modern material choice, with emphasis on diversity of cultural background of characters and actors who are on stage. It is an old story told in contemporary costume language, and the designer's goal is to support the telling of the story, but not to be overwhelming. I think Hannah really succeeded in it.”

Dohrer plans to stay at MiraCosta College for another year, in part because of its Theatre Department. She hopes to earn a degree from a four-year university before ultimately opening a theatre group for physically and mentally disabled children.

“I feel like they are given so many fewer opportunities and many of them have a great imagination,” Dohrer said. “I would like to give them an opportunity to help express that imagination.”

She believes her experience as a costume designer will be invaluable in reaching her dream of establishing a theatre group. “It has taught me a lot about the process of creating something from scratch,” Dohrer said.

Dohrer, who also played the female lead in Oedipus as Joscasta, was not the only MiraCosta College student to be honored at the Los Angeles ceremony. Miranda LeRae and Carly Dellinger made the semi-final round in the Irene Ryan Acting competition. Kayti Bulfinch won the Newbie Stage Management Award, and Bryan Taylor won a full dance scholarship to CSU Summer Arts this summer in Monterey.

2012: MCC Student playwright has his play read at the Kennedy Center

When Encinitas resident Sassan Saffari heard about a playwriting competition to honor the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s presidential inauguration, there was only about a month left before the submission deadline. It might seem daunting to write a one-act play in such a short period of time, but the MiraCosta College student had two key attributes in his favor: a lifelong knowledge of the Kennedy stomping grounds of Massachusetts—the Dorchester native moved here three years ago—and a knack for research and preparedness he has honed as an actor.

As a result, Saffari’s Beacons of Hope—in which a ghostly Kennedy and his son, John Jr., watch the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees in the historic fourth game of the American League Championship Series—won him an award from the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival. As one of only four U.S. college students to earn this honor, Saffari will get a $1,000 scholarship during a Jan. 31 event in Washington D.C. that will include a reading of his play (which will also be simulcast on the Internet.)

“I wanted to comment on what was going on in 2004 politically, and with the war and the economy,” he says. “People were losing hope in the government and in the economy, and Red Sox fans were losing hope in their team. So the play opens with [Kennedy and Kennedy Jr.] sitting on top of the green monster having a conversation about the team, and they also talk a lot about his legacy, what he stood for in politics.”

Anyelid Meneses with partner Kyle Lucy (both center), beat out 248 students and returned home from the American College Theatre Festival in Utah victorious as the Irene Ryan acting scholarship WINNER! She is the second MiraCosta student to be selected to attend the Kennedy Center since 2006. They performed for the top national honors in acting at the Kennedy Center in April 17 and were the lone representatives of California. They also spent much of the week in performance workshops with prestigious presenters.

2006: Stage Manager wins National Award at the Kennedy Center

Student Sarah Kelley won the National Stage Management competition during the 2006 festival. She had previously won the regional award in 2005, but vowed to come back and win the national award which she did successfully achieve.

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KC/ACTF Awards

2013

Hannah Dohrer WON the Costume Design national award and will compete as a National Finalist at the Kennedy Center.